Princess Beatrice Is a Surprise Character in Netflix’s Forthcoming Film ‘Scoop’—and She Won’t Be Happy About It, Royal Expert Says
“It’s altogether very bad news for [Prince] Andrew, and, indeed, for his whole family.”
When we heard the plotline of Netflix’s forthcoming Scoop—out Friday, and centering around Prince Andrew’s disastrous 2019 BBC Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis that effectively ended his royal career—we obviously knew that Andrew would play a key role in the movie. What we weren’t expecting? (Slight spoiler alert) The surprise character of Princess Beatrice, Andrew’s eldest daughter, who plays a pivotal role in the film as her father decides whether or not to take the interview on.
Royal expert Jennie Bond—who was royal correspondent for the BBC for 14 years—told The Daily Mail that Beatrice “will be annoyed and upset” and will be “dreading” the film’s release tomorrow and the “difficult time ahead” in its aftermath. Bond said the dramatization will “broadcast the whole story” of Andrew’s association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to an even wider audience, and added “It’s altogether very bad news for Andrew, and, indeed, for his whole family. Beatrice, in particular, will undoubtedly be annoyed and upset that her part in setting up and monitoring the interview will now be made so much more public.”
Last year, BBC producer Sam McAlister—who is played by Billie Piper in Scoop—revealed that Beatrice attended a negotiation meeting with her father ahead of the Newsnight interview, which is captured in the film. McAlister said the Duke of York announced he had brought someone with him to the negotiations between the BBC and Buckingham Palace, and she thought he meant he had brought along a lawyer.
“To be frank, the only thing worse than speaking to a prospective interviewee about allegations of sexual impropriety and sex with a 17-year-old girl is having to do so in front of his daughter,” McAlister wrote. “Princess Beatrice was polite and engaged but, unlike her father, she was evidently anxious about the meeting and clearly there to protect his interests. I’d heard she was close to the Queen. The prince’s eldest daughter was now, I felt, the person who could make the difference between us getting the interview or not.”
Beatrice is played by Charity Wakefield in Scoop, and just as she did in real life, took notes on a clipboard at the meeting and appeared “anxious.”
In April 2023, BBC interviewer Emily Maitlis revealed she feared the trainwreck interview “hurt” Beatrice and her younger sister, Princess Eugenie. At the time, in November 2019, Beatrice had recently announced her engagement to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, who she was scheduled to marry in May 2020 but, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, ended up delaying until that July.
“It’s the first time the thought crossed my mind that maybe he was doing it for [Beatrice],” Maitlis said. “Your life has been hellish. You’ve had to read these headlines. You’re trying to get married. I’m going to do this to make it better for you. I don’t know if that’s true, but it crossed my mind.”
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
In a column for The Times, Maitlis said she also struggled “in the aftermath” with how Andrew’s revelations in the interview would impact Beatrice and Eugenie: “How could an interview that aimed to provide answers for vulnerable young women not end up hurting other vulnerable young women—his daughters—along the way?” she wrote.
With the benefit of hindsight, Maitlis questioned whether Andrew might have agreed to do the interview to clear his name for the sake of Beatrice, ahead of her wedding scheduled for just months later.
Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.
-
Lili Reinhart Reacts to the Millions of Donald Trump Voters
The actress is devastated.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Kamala Harris Has Lost the 2024 Presidential Election
It's official.
By Jenny Hollander Published
-
The “Hottest British Royal You’ve Never Heard Of” Has Started Military Training at the Same School as Prince William and Prince Harry
We love a man in uniform.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Why Prince William Is Unlikely to Leave the U.K. While King Charles Is in Australia
"That might not be wise at this particular juncture."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi Reveals Why He's Rarely at Home With Pregnant Wife Princess Beatrice
They're currently expecting their second child together.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Princess Eugenie Is Reportedly in a "Precarious Position" Between Prince Harry and King Charles
"Eugenie is in a difficult spot."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
King Charles Wants Prince William and Prince Harry to "Get Along" Before His 75th Birthday
"He wants to draw a line under their past feuds."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Pregnant Princess Beatrice Glows in a Chic Black Velvet Look in First Appearance Since Baby News
The second-time mom-to-be attended a star-studded event in London.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Princess Beatrice's New Baby Will Inherit a Unique Royal Title
Her new little one will arrive in spring 2025.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Who is Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi? All About Princess Beatrice's Husband
The father of two is about to welcome a new member into the family.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Princess Eugenie and Sarah Ferguson Share Rare Unseen Photos of Princess Beatrice's Daughter, Sienna, After Pregnancy Announcement
The "proud GiGi" and sister posted some family moments on Instagram.
By Kristin Contino Published